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BURMA
‘Thirty Comrades’ Survivor’s Shwedagon Wish
Kyaw Zaw is one of Burma’s last Thirty Comrades. (Photo: RFA)
One of Burma’s legendary “Thirty Comrades” who has been receiving emergency medical treatment in China wishes to visit Rangoon’s sacred Shwedagon Pagoda for the last time, according to his family.
Ex-Brig-Gen Kyaw Zaw, 93, one of only two surviving Comrades, is currently admitted to the intensive care unit at Kunming General Hospital in China’s southwestern Yunnan Province.
His son, Aung Kyaw Zaw, told The Irrawaddy that his father’s health is worrisome as he must breathe via an oxygen supply and food is delivered through a nasogastric tube.
“He is at his wits’ end,” said Aung Kyaw Zaw. “The sad thing is he told me that he wants to visit Shwedagon Pagoda one last time.”
He said Kyaw Zaw still remembers his friends and colleagues during Burma’s independence struggle, and particularly misses Bo Ye Htut, 91, the only other surviving Comrade who still lives in Rangoon.
Kyaw Zaw was born in Hsaisu Village in Tharawaddy District of Pegu Division and later became actively involved in the anti-imperialist movement in Burma.
During the British colonial era, he went to China’s Hainan Island alongside Gen Aung San, Burma’s independence hero and the father of opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, where they were give military training by the Japanese.
Those who returned to fight for Burmese independence were dubbed the Thirty Comrades.
When Burma changed sides to fight the Japanese Imperial Army during World War II, Kyaw Zaw served as military commander of Division 4 based in the eastern part of the Sittaung River in Pegu Division.
At the beginning of the country’s civil war, which broke out soon after independence was proclaimed in 1948, he then became chief of Southern Military Command and managed to successfully defend Rangoon while it was surrounded by Karen National Defense Organization (KNDO) troops. Afterwards, he managed to capture the towns of Pegu, Phyu and Taung Ngoo.
Kyaw Zaw reportedly wrote in his autobiography that the Battle of Insein, in which he fought against the KNDO for three months, was the unforgettable moment of his life.
In 1954, he led the Bayinnaung Operation that managed to drive out Chinese Kuomintang troops from Burma. Kyaw Zaw’s colleagues regarded him as a courageous commander who always fought alongside his fellow soldiers.
In 1957, the ex-Brig-Gen was dismissed from the armed forces for allegedly leaking military
secrets.
As a civilian, he continued striving for internal peace under the leadership of the late Thakhin Kodaw Hmaing—Burma’s peace architect also considered one of the nation’s greatest ever poets. Kyaw Zaw left for the Sino-Burmese border, where the Communist Party of Burma was based, in 1976.
The Burmese government last week removed 2,082 people from its blacklist, but Kyaw Zaw’s name was not included.
Tin Oo, former armed forces chief-of-staff and a patron of Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy, recently paid respect to Kyaw Zaw and said he should return to Burma as soon as possible as one of the last Thirty Comrades.
We all know that the communism failed globally and it failed miserably across the world in a large scale. He made a mistake by taking side with the Chinese communists. This is a fact and no one can deny it. But granting a dying man his last wish is a noble gesture and a noble act. Please show mercy and generosity by giving him a chance to return to Myanmar and see the Shwedagon pagada if he wishes and if he can. There is nothing to lose for Myanmar government to grant him a visa. History will remember it.
Fully endorse that he may be permitted to come back home. I knew him as a brave soldier and a natural tactitian .He accomplished more for the Country than other generals of his time.He deserves to get his wish.
Gen. Kyaw Zaw should be scrapped from the Black List I say.
He is legendary.
As one of the last and elder member of the famed Thirty Comrades, the general should be given his dues and rights, specifically before he rides into the sunset as well.
He defended Burma’s sovereignty and territorial integrity (falling into the hands of the KNDO’s) during that crucial civil war in the wake of the country’s independence from the British.
And again he saved the day for Burma against the KMT’s no doubt.
U Tin Oo’s suggestion the old general should return to his homeland should be honored, respected and obliged by Thein Sein as well I say.
This is no time for harboring grudges much less enmity on the part of Thein Sein on dissidents and exiles as well in lieu of the present and real danger Burma is facing at the moment: Rohingyas striving to set up an Islamic State in Arakan and the ethnic Chinese communists flashing Burma national registration cards while holding the reins of the Wa and poise to claim Kachin State, Wa State and Shan State as well as their proxy states as evidenced by ongoing attacks on KIA today.
Relinquish your communist doctrine, one party dictatorship, then we will consider you to step out from the One Party Uncivilized Authoritarian Country of China. We do not want to be like Chinese, Vietnamese, Laotian who are living under the razor whips of the Communist One Party Dictatorship, Shameful sub human status. (Money can not make your civilized status).
Why can’t Thein Sein wipe out his name from the blacklist last week? Bogyoke Kyaw Zaw deserves to return home and makes his say what he wants to see in Myanmar. He might be a communist. It does not matter he is a communist or a socialist. He deserves to have freedom of expression before he departs from his earthly life.
Any govt worth its salt would grant the dying wish, especially an army dominated one, of this old veteran freedom fighter and patriot of the independence struggle, subsequent civil war and the fight against the KMT invasion aided by the CIA.
Unless of course the regime’s spotless staunch ant-communist record that put it firmly in the Western camp during the Cold War until 1988-89 remains an insurmountable obstacle toward an inclusive and genuine national reconciliation.
Yes indeed, I agree wholeheatedly with Tin Oo that Kyaw Zaw retun to his beloved counry and worship at Shwedagon pagoda. The people of Myanmar would be generous and big hearted to let this happen ASAP. This is not the time to dwell on the past. This is the time for all in Myanmar to come together and work for the future and ensure that the same mistakes are not repeated.
One would hope and trust that the TATMADAW and President Thein Sein’s government will extend “compassion” to Kyaw Zaw’s last wish to worship at Shwedagon and bury his old bones in Myanmar.
Naphetchun MaungSein
California USA
Brig.General Kyaw Zaw, a son of our soil and a thirty comrades shall be given a chance at his final days of the life to come back to his mother kand is a must. He has given his life for the country independent along with General Aung San that his why to days’ Tatmadaw is existing and can rule the country with patriotic manner, otherwise country will be still under colonial rule. That is why we have to salute him and liable to call back.
Was Kyaw Zaw really a Communist or was he forced out by Ne Win? Does he has a Buddha shrine in his dwelling?
Lest we forget,let me remind you all that we owed a debt of gratitude to all Thirty Comrades.Particularly the Tamadaw members,you will not be where you are now without the sacrifices of the Thirty Comrades under the leadership of Bogyoke Aung San.Now that one of his surviving Comrades,Ex-Brig.Gen. Kyaw Zaw wished to say his last rite at the foot of Great Shwe Dagon Pagoda,why can’t we repay our gratitude to the old soldier before too late.Why cant we be compassionate?Remember he is 93 and gravely ill.Allow him immediate return to his cherished motherlan.At least let the old soldier know that his motherland is grateful for what he has sacrificed for independence and defense against the KMT Chinese invaders.We agree with NLD Chairman Ex-Gen. Tin Oo who fought under Gen.Kyaw Zaw.
George Than Setkey Heine wrote ” Burma is facing at the moment : Rohingya striving to set up an Islamic State in Arakan” is an racist dream only. Muslims of Burma who ever race may be they are son of the soil and paid their blood in the Burma Independent along with General Aung San, and many Burmese Muslims and Rohingya peoples died in the struggle of Independence, need to study history. Such kind of Ulta nationalist dream and action can spoil the peaceful co-existence. Therefore it is my earnest appeal to all peoples do not bring racist issue in the forum, just keep in your mind, now is the time for healing for reconciliation in Arakan. Arakan history is very clear that the existence of Rohingya. Can ask Rakhine Buddhists in Mrohong the ancient city that the Muslim Rophingya were there since the time of Arakan kings or not. Recently the ANDP party members tried to kill Muslims Rohingya in Mrohong, but Rakhine Buddhist native of Mrohong did not allow to do any sort of harmfulness to Muslims Rohingya. That’s show that the existence of Rohingya in Arakan.